SPECIAL SECTION INSIDE
Hermiston
Herald
HermistonHerald.com
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 2017
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INSIDE
Local chapter
celebrates
Altrusa centenial
By TAMMY MALGESINI
Community Editor
A century of working
together to create better
communities is being rec-
ognized as Altrusa Inter-
national commemorates its
100-year anniversary.
As one of the largest
clubs in District Twelve
— which encompasses Or-
egon, Washington, Mon-
tana and western Canada
— Altrusa International of
Hermiston is proud of its
heritage. The district in-
cludes 20 clubs with 639
members.
Hermiston’s club was
organized May 14, 1977,
with 32 initiates, sponsored
by Altrusa International
of Pendleton. Six charter
members — Kay Bennett,
Nancy Brown, Margaret
Saylor, Janet Severson, Pat
Wheelhouse and Jean Ruhl
— still belong to the Herm-
iston club, said Connie Fer-
ranti, publicity chair. The
club’s current membership
is 53.
Originally called Altru-
sa Institute, Mamie L. Bass
founded the organization
in 1917 in Nashville. The
name “Altrusa” is derived
from combining altruism
and USA.
Bass, who was a partner
in her brother’s architecture
fi rm, had assisted him in or-
ganizing a Rotary chapter.
However, Bass wasn’t able
to join Rotary, as it was an
all-male organization at the
time.
Founded as a service
organization for female
business owners, managers
and professional women,
Altrusa later expanded to
include all women, as well
as men. By 1935, it became
an international organiza-
tion when the fi rst group in
Mexico was organized.
Altrusa has continued
to expand beyond U.S.
borders with clubs creat-
MEET WILLIAM QUINTANA,
THE MAN WORKING TO PUT
HERMISTON AT THE FOREFRONT
OF PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING
IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST.
PAGE A2
BANK SHOT
TAVERN TOURNAMENT
RAISES MONEY FOR JUVENILE
DIABETES RESEARCH IN
MEMORY OF LATE LOCAL
RESIDENT MICHELLE ‘MUSH’
MONAGHAN.
PAGE A4
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Altrusa International of Hermiston offi cers for 2016-17.
COMING EVENTS
PLAN OUT SOCIAL SCHEDULE
WITH OUR LIST OF UPCOMING
EVENTS.
PAGE A7
SOUNDING OFF
LOCAL RESIDENT SHARE
VIEWS ON CIVIC ISSUES,
LIKE THE SCHOOL BOND
MEASURE AND COMMUNITY
CENTER MANAGEMENT.
PAGE A8
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Members of Altrusa International from Pendleton and Hermiston enjoyed a social gathering last fall in Echo. The
Pendleton club sponsored the Hermiston club in 1977.
BRIEFLY
HHS musicians
to perform
with orchestra
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
See ALTRUSA, A16
THREE
MINUTES WITH...
Members of Altrusa International of Hermiston collect toys for the 2015 Hermiston Police Christmas Express.
Altrusa presents Visions of Hope art show
Altrusa International of Hermiston is
hosting a Visions of Hope art event.
The inmate art program raises mon-
ey for Otino Waa Children’s Village in
Uganda. People can learn more about the
program and purchase artwork.
Visions of Hope founders Dale and
Sandy Russell said artwork bought
through the nonprofi t organization direct-
ly touches the lives of at least three peo-
ple. It offers encouragement to the inmate
artist, supports a child at Otino Waa and
provides enjoyment for the purchaser.
The art show and sales are:
• Saturday, April 29, from 2-6 p.m. at
Agape House, 500 Harper Road, Hermis-
ton
•Sunday, April 3, from noon to 4 p.m.
at the Brock Family Barn, 155 W. Colum-
bia Lane, Irrigon.
For more information, contact 541-
561-4763 or brocktess@hotmail.com. For
more about Visions of Hope, visit www.
visions-hope.org.
Chamber of Commerce moving to yet-unknown location in 2018
By JADE MCDOWELL
Staff Writer
STAFF PHOTO BY E.J. HARRIS
Hermiston resident Bryan Wolfe reads a statement imploring the
Hermiston City Council to consider the will of the people of Hermiston
before voting on the fate of the Hermiston Conference Center at a special
session city council meeting April 18 in Hermiston.
The Greater Hermiston Area Chamber
of Commerce is in the market for a new
home.
The chamber has called the Hermis-
ton Conference Center home for about
two decades thanks to a contract with the
city of Hermiston to run the center on the
city’s behalf. The city council voted last
week not to renew that contract for 2018.
The city is preparing to do a $125,000
remodel on the basement of the old Car-
negie Library across from City Hall and
has offered the chamber free use of those
offi ces starting in 2018.
The chamber has not yet made a decision
on that offer, announcing to members in a
press release that “as this process moves for-
ward, we will keep you posted.”
Chamber supporters made it clear
See CHAMBER, A16
A handful of Hermiston
High School brass players
will perform with the In-
land Northwest Orchestra.
The event also features
Sofi a Marina of Richland
and Hanna Schafer of Col-
lege Place, winners of the
Young Artist Competition.
The free concert is Sunday
at 4 p.m. in the auditorium
at Hermiston High School,
600 S. First St.
Donations are accepted.
The six HHS students
— trumpet players Noah
Roberts, Josh Hinkley, Alec
Wilson and Allison Galda-
mez; and Colton Katsel and
Isabel Bartley on trombone
— will perform during the
classical work, “Pines of
Rome,” a symphonic poem
written by the Italian com-
poser Ottorino Respighi in
1924.
Formed in 1999 by a
group of instrumentalists
and vocalists interested in
classical music, ensembles
of the Inland Northwest
Musicians provide free live
performances throughout
the region. For more infor-
mation, contact 541-289-
4696, inwm@machmedia.
net or visit www.inland-
northwestmusicians.com.
Hermiston man named
‘American Patriot’
A World War II veteran
from Hermiston was recently
recognized as a 2017 Ameri-
can Patriot of the Year.
Willard “Bill” Runion
received the recognition
March 21 from the Ameri-
cans for Constitutional Lib-
erty, formerly known as The
Conservative Caucus. The
award recognizes Runion
for his support for patriotic
causes and pro-freedom ac-
tivities.